happy holidays. each year this time, we showcase the talents and creativity of our photojournalists. through their lens, they bring us a spirit of the season from all around the bay area. we're here at christmas in the park in san jose. not far from where our first story takes place. in 1983, the town was hit hard by the el nino flood. the tragedy prompted a south bay family to give rather than receive. joe and judy santiago set out to spread cheer with a box of candy canes. as photojournalist chris paxton

shows us you, 20 years r later, the generosity continue -- shows us, 20 years later, the generosity continues to grow. >> here's something. >> can we do this? >> we keep track of them. >> by boys and girls by age group and year. >> happy new year! >> the gifts we give out are from infants to 13-year-olds. last year, we probably had 15 cars loaded up with gifts. you people are so awesome, we really appreciate this. the kids just loved meeting santa claus. >> he's excited. >> how many for santa? >> the family gets their picture taken with santa. >> big smile.

there you go. >> merry christmas. >> what you want for christmas? >> a monster truck, a real one. >> we have probably about 500 children. >> start out with like five right now. my grandma is -- she's a go- better, she loves what she does. she's so good at it. it's part of her personality. that's where -- it's reached where it has. >> good job, pedro. >> we came out here the first year to do santa and it just grew on us. we wanted to come back. >> 6-year-old boy. a girl, 12, and 8. >> it's been a very small community and then there was a flood a long time ago. >> it was the scene of frantic desperation, hundreds of residents trying to save their homes from flooding. some threw their bodies against the water trying to hold it back. >> one of my daughters, her

mother-in-law started to volunteer. >> get in the back. >> seeing their faces like up when they see santa is just something that -- it breaks me up. >> you can choose whatever you want. >> what color? >> it gives us the satisfaction. the gift that keeps giving to all of us. >> big smile. >> reporter: for many, this is a season of reflection. hanukkah is an eight-day jewish holiday also known as the festival of lights. one temple in san francisco literally takes the lights of the menorah to the street. eric hinderguard introduces us now to the many different faces of this faith. ♪ >> the fourth night of hanukkah is the chipping point of miracles. welcome. good evening. [singing] >> the menorah is a question of

balance as well. how we find ourselves in this world, dealing between our come -- our culture here in california our jew win tradition, between our children and ancestors. >> the fourth night of hanukkah allows us to see her ray kells every day -- to see miracles every day. happy hanukkah. >> you have to publicize the event. >> this sa dream come true. >> from burma to -- this is a dream come through. >> from burma to burma superstar to the genesis of the evening. >> i put together a great dinner for us to celebrate hanukkah. >> fish and fries. >> a little fusion of the

different cultures. and puts his own twist on things. we love him and support him and here we are enjoying some beautiful food. >> i'm not saying a bistro is a jewish resident. it's not. but when jews come together and celebrate hanukkah, this festival of oil, re-create the -- we recite at miracle here. here, i think a lot of these values that he talks about of hanukkah being an example to celebrate and embrace cultural diversity while maintaining our own identities is what we can all be about. that's the highest value of hanukkah for me at this moment. [singing] >> reporter: for people a musical concert marks the beginning of the holiday

season. jacob jimenez shows us the gift of music for generations. ♪ >> it's kind of a rage of itself -- a language. >> it's such a healing and wonderful thing. >> my father perry phillips -- was the choir director here that started 23 years ago as a way for the choir to present different carols and music of the greek church to the public. ♪ when my father died in 1991, i was asked if i would continue to produce it. my father did 21 years. i've done 22 years.

we have kept it going. people look forward to it. it starts the season. >> it's a way to showcase some of the great talent that is in our own communeny right here in our backyard. >> it's an excellent bay to come together as a community and sing all types of religion and different types of music. >> even if you speak different language, you can speak through muse nick a really beautiful way. >> it helps to really bring the larger community together besides our orthodox community and then their friends come, too, and they have an opportunity to see our cathedral. >> it's amazing. the first time i saw this, it was just incredible. it's very ornate, very decorative. >> i cont stray get the

feedback from people who say how much they appreciate it. it's become a tradition. it gets their season started. you know what i mean? it's a gift. it's a gift to give back. >> i always get a little emotional and i get choked up and then i -- i just see that -- i'll just pleased that it still continues, sort of in the spirit. ♪ >> there's something sort of magical about playing a christmas concert. >> i think it's good to be here and listen to that and hear that. >> it's awesome to get the holiday season started with song. [ applause ] >> reporter: in the season of giving many people reach out to help others. tony hadruk and dena introduce us to a formerly homeless man

who poetically expressions his hardship and he was even earned the spotlight in front of the united nations. >> in this rain, i have a need to lay down, let it all go and tell you about a real poem. that's part of my life, lighting. that poem just came to me. i wrote it the way it came to me. >> every day, she thinks she shouldn't be because people are lacking love. >> that's why it's so important to have people on the streets who care about you. when you are out here at night and you are alone, it's a frightening feeling. i wait in line, waiting for a bowl of soup and a piece of bread and soon we were inseparable. where he walked, i walked. and he took his blanket and

came over to me and wrapped it around my shoulders. i didn't know him. he didn't know me. >> but we were homeless together. and that made us brothers. >> i'm just trying to fight my way back and feel like a human being again. >> when i was on the streets, i didn't want you to throw money at me. i wanted you to sit down with me and have a cup of coffee and treat me like a human being. so let us not be demonized, stereotyped, marginalized. let us rise above the fear, let

us rise beyond the sooty streets. >> i used to look at people who were homeless the same way people look at me and i understand now what it is about. anybody can be in this position. >> whatever your name is, i am you. whatever rage you were born -- rage you were born in, i -- language, i am you that hungers for justice and the right to love. >> i think christmas is an everyday thing. you celebrate christmas every day. >> to be able to find a place to be warm out there and have a good meal and be safe. >> the one thing that i gained from being homeless was to love and the unselfishness of the people who shared that

experience with me. >> merry christmas to all of the homeless around the world. don't ever give up on life. life is what comes at you and you have to make it at it comes. >> what is christmas? it's another day. it's another day.

>> reporter: many visitors at

the sir francis drake hotel and this legendary attraction greets people right at the door. >> welcome to the sir francis drake! >> i got started back in 1986. i graduated from san francisco school. >> i think there's 22 uniforms. >> how are you guys doing? nice to see. >> you 32 years? >> yes. >> that's a lot. >> good to see you guys. all right, guys. taxi? i will give you this one in a moment. here's a taxi for you. >> have a nice day. you carry up to 200 to 1,000 suitcases. >> here you go. >> okay. want this back here? >> taxi today? >> tom is the bomb. [laughter] already >> he is excellent. >> i love to look at him.

>> look at his hat. i would put him on my christmas tree. [laughter] >> class act, huh? >> you can get your photos taken 500 times a day. you have to look good on the job. >> let me get a picture of my puppy. >> good shot. all right. >> you are a legend in my mind. >> well, thanks. >> when we think of san francisco, walking down the street, getting the spirit of christmas it's real special for us. >> have a merry christmas. >> great to see you guys. see you real soon. >> he does that and then you know that -- he's made my day. >> oh, yeah. oh, yeah. taxi? taxi? oh, yeah, oh, yeah.

>> start doing like -- started doing it like 25 years ago. now everybody does it. >> hey, guys. oh, yeah! oh, yeah! all of my friends from the police department and fire department come by. oh, yeah. >> he makes everyone feel really special. >> on my 30th year they put my name on the ground here. it was unheard of to get the hollywood walk of fame. i'm on room keys, they market the hole tell around me here -- hotel around me here. tony blair they asked me to hang around him when he was here. i've shaken hands with presidents. president ford. i've done marathons in this uniform. i've gotten a lot of miles out of this uniform. i always liked the holidays. when i was little, i came down with my parents. i now get payed to be here. have a good holiday. see you guys real soon.

>> thank you. bye-bye. >> reporter: it's been said music contains a wild beast but can it also heal? our next photojournalist shows us how the bay area hospital is using the power of music to help nurture the sick. >> it's never a good time to be in the hospital. but the holidays really accentuate that. it brings up a lot of issues, not just for the patients but for the whole family. we can play a really wonderful role with the music. the music therapy is one of the few therapies where the side effects are all good. ♪ never gonna give up ♪ don't give up ♪ never gonna up ♪ >> we do a lot of fund-raising.

and that's a wonderful medium for patients to be able to send a message to loved ones. ♪ never giving up >> the day i served him, he was in a lot of pain, very depress and shut down. at the end of working on that song, he was so lit up and so proud of what he had done. >> he said that song is really about having gone to some very dark places and really faced the hardest times of his life ever and then holding onto the hope and faith he has from his family. ♪ don't give up >> music therapy is an amazing addition for our patients. >> can turn a very talk and devastating experience into -- traumatic and devastating experience into something that can be quite healing. ♪ never giving up

♪ jing the bells, jingle bellses, jingle all the way ♪ >> what i can say it gives hope because the lyrics itself, you can -- you can have joy. you can still let everything go okay here in the hospital. there's really a lift of edge couragement and uplifting. [laughter] >> reporter: here again is greg rinzo with special presents delivered not on a sleigh but on motorcycles. >> the event started 13 years ago. brad and his friend rick were sitting in the kitchen, and they had a first of the run month every month that left his shop and they decided it would be a good idea to bring toys to the children of san quentin

inmates. >> i'm very grateful that my higher power has helped me do this. it's not their fault that they don't have much. their dads aren't here. it was so overwhelming, i started crying. >> i have spent time in san quentin and for me, it was the first time -- we started out with 20 and last year we had 350 bikes. the best moment is the moment when all of the bikes are coming up the hill. and then they hear the roar of the bikes and they know santa is coming. you get to see the kids' faces light up. >> look. merry christmas. >> how are you? >> i'm so excited! >> i can't stop smiling.

let me try. nope, nope. >> merry christmas. >> some kids don't get christmas because their fathers are inside. so a lot of times this is their only christmas that they actually get. so it's a great event. >> you love santa? >> yeah. >> we love you, too. >> we all want -- especially the kids, we want them to have a chance at life. >> i can't wait to open. >> i got a baby doll. >> they don't ask for much. they just want to be loved. very emotional. the kids were just terrific. beautiful kids. they just -- they just steal your heart. >> thank you! merry christmas!

>> reporter: in the heart of oakland, this basement bakery is only open -- open to the public a couple of days a week and while the lines may be

long, martin shows us the desserts are great. >> it started off from knocking on the window asking what the smell is. can i buy some cookies and then from that day forward, i mean, word of mouth just grew. >> in the first few years, i used to stay up for three days because it was me baking every day. three days in a row and then my wife would carry me to the car because everything was like sore. i don't tell me many people but i used to cry on the side because nobody would buy my cookies. ♪ ♪ >> rich. >> delectable. >> ravishing. >> scrumptious.

>> for me, certain things just taste good together. >> i like combinations of things, like peanut, butter, jelly and bacon. >> it's incredible. it's just a very happy place that people are incredible and he has the most contagious smile. >> if all of this would have turned out just like this in day one, i don't think i would have appreciated it. my head would have gotten really big. >> we do make a key lime pie but but they are all smoken for. >> i love their cookies. >> the cappuccino scone. >> this is the secret that getting everybody to come back. just joking. just joking. [laughter] >> it's really great to have an establishment like this that is -- you know, that's open to the public a couple of days a week. you get to sample and taste what they have to offer. >> i'm not a professional.

don't do this at home. merry christmas! >> reporter: it's time to hop on a train. chip vaughn catch as ride on the holiday of lights train as it travels through santa cruz picking up hundreds of children and santa claus along the way. >> ladies an gentlemen, boys hans girl, the young and the young at heart, roaring camp and the santa cruz boardwalk are proud to present the 14th annual santa cruz holiday lights train. all aboard! ♪ deck the halls with bows the holly fa-la-la-la ♪ fa-la-la ♪ fa-la-la ♪ >> we start off here at the boardwalk in santa cruz. we head down beach street and go through depot park and the man with the bag meets the

train there and his lovely wife, santa and mrs. clauss board the -- mrs. claus and they spend time with the young and the young at heart. >> ladies an gentlemen, may i present mr. and mrs. santa claus! >> have all of you kids been good this year? >> it's really fun. the kids have a great time. >> santa and mrs. claus come along and have fun with the kids. ♪ jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way ♪ ♪ frosty the snowman was a jolly happy soul ♪ ♪ with a corn cobb face and a

button snow. >> we got to go through the tunnel. >> this captures the true meaning of christmas and they take the extra effort to decorate the train. it was awesome. ♪ we wish you a merry christmas ♪ ♪ we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year ♪ [ cheers ] >> reporter: we hope you enjoyed our holiday program. from all of us here at ktvu, we wish you and your family a merry christmas. ♪